Lin Ling could turn into a villain in To Be Hero X (and the director's comment suggests it)

As To Be Hero X has ended its Nice Arc with Moon's unexpected death, many fans might be curious about Lin Ling's future. Witnessing the death of the person he loved the most, moments after a special reunion, must have been traumatic for the emerging hero. Furthermore, the perpetrator was possibly E-Soul, the ninth-ranked hero.

All this could spiral Lin Ling into despair, and interestingly, the show's director, Li Haoling, has commented on the hero's future. In an April 27 Q/A video shared by the donghua's official X handle, Li Haoling considered the possibility of a villain arc for Lin Ling. Although the director didn't elaborate on how the narrative will explore the hero's future, his turning evil remains a strong possibility.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative and contains spoilers from the To Be Hero X series.

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Li Haoling's comments hint at a villain arc for Lin Ling in To Be Hero X

In a series built around the concept of "anyone can become a hero," Lin Ling's journey as one might get tainted with a momentary villain arc. At least, that's what the series' director, Li Haoling, has suggested in his recent Q/A session, released after To Be Hero X episode 4.

In the final moments of the Nice Arc (episode 4), Lin Ling used Moon's teleportation device to reunite with her on the uninhabited island. It was a wholesome reunion until a lightning bullet pierced through Moon's head. Lin Ling stood horrified, as he couldn't fathom whether it was an illusion or a reality.

Moon and Lin Ling in episode 4 (Image via Pb Animation/LAN Studio/Paper Plane Animation)

Earlier, in episode 1, Lin Ling had confronted a similar vision, but moments later, he had realized it was a dream. However, this time, there was a perpetrator; Lin Ling saw a figure standing at a distance, resembling E-Soul, the ninth-ranked hero. Undeniably, Lin Ling's life was turned upside down, as he couldn't believe how a heroic entity could kill a former hero in cold blood.

Although To Be Hero X didn't exactly reveal Lin Ling's reaction to Moon's death, his facial expressions suggested he was left shell-shocked. Now, Li Haoling has commented on Lin Ling and on exploring a potential villain arc for the hero. In the Q/A video, Li Haoling was asked about Lin Ling's future.

The director considered Moon's death a turning point in Lin Ling's fate. He also insinuated the possibility of the hero taking a "dark turn" in the future. However, it has to be noted that the director never explicitly stated whether or not Lin Ling will turn into a villain, but rather only hinted at the "possibility."

Moon's killer in the series (Image via Pb Animation/LAN Studio/Paper Plane Animation)

Earlier in the same Q/A video, the To Be Hero X director explained that Nice's story was far from complete. He also discussed a few snippets from the series where Nice appeared evil. Moreover, Li Haoling mentioned that the series will explore Nice's dark phase and other plot points up until his jumping off the building scene.

If Lin Ling indeed turns into a villainous figure momentarily in the series, it could create an interesting dynamic with Nice. Moreover, his turning into a villain could be a justified scenario, given how Moon's death must have traumatized him.

Yet, it could be fatal to his character arc, as he has to shoulder revenge moments after becoming a hero. In other words, he could turn into the next Geto from Jujutsu Kaisen, whose life was also changed after Riko Amanai's death in the Hidden Inventory Arc.

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Conclusion

Lin Ling, as seen in the series (Image via Pb Animation/LAN Studio/Paper Plane Animation)

At any rate, fans have to wait for a while to see Lin Ling in action again, considering the story is being told in reverse. In other words, the first four episodes of To Be Hero X were the narrative's conclusion. Now, the remaining episodes will connect the dots and eventually go back to Lin Ling.

Li Haoling didn't explain whether Lin Ling's supposed dark phase is reserved for a sequel or will be shown in this installment itself. Nevertheless, it's still an interesting plot point to discuss, considering the titular hero has become one of the fan-favorite characters.

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